DirectAdmin | New Server Checklist

ProWebUK

ProWebUK

Verified User
Joined
Jun 9, 2003
Messages
1,963
Location
UK
With myself regularly recommending dedicated server owners to Foggys Ensim checklist on EV1 i thought it would be a good idea to setup something similar for DirectAdmin users.

Hopefully this will come in useful for both experienced users and beginners with DirectAdmin servers

Thats all i need to say, so i will leave you to read the rest :)



IMPORTANT
Disclaimer

Before you try any how-to guides listed below, please remember that i do not take responsibilty for any problems, that may occur whilst using them or setting them up.



Linux basics
New to Linux? These guides may help you out

-> Using SSH on windows OS
-> Using SSH on MAC OS
-> Using VI text editor
-> Directory of linux commands
-> Linux resource websites
-> Beginners guide to SSH



DirectAdmin Installation
Useful advice for setting up your server

-> DirectAdmin server setup guide



Server Updates

-> Update Kernel using UP2DATE
-> Update kernel on dual processor servers (normal kernel update wont work)
-> Update PHP (4.3.4) using DA custom apache build system
-> Update apache (1.3.29) Using DA custom apache build system
-> Update Mod_SSL (2.8.16) Using DA custom apache build system

ModSSL, Apache and PHP updates above are all upgraded together using the custom apache build system



Server Security
The best software i have found to secure your server Please note that only 1 firewall should be installed)

-> APF Firewall (make sure you allow port 2222 for DirectAdmin to work)
-> KISS My Firewall 2.0(make sure you allow port 2222 for DirectAdmin to work)
-> Disable Direct Root Login
-> Disable Telnet
-> Mask apache server & services version numbers
-> CHKROOTKIT
-> Upgrade OpenSSH to fix recent exploit
-> Upgrade ProFTPd to fix recent exploit
-> Configure POP3S (Secure POP3) with xinetd
-> Change Shell Passwords - Below

Admin:

/usr/bin/passwd
(set new password)

Root:

su -
/usr/bin/passwd
(set new password)

Other Users:

su - <username>
/usr/bin/passwd
(set new password)

Go back to root:

exit



Software & Service Updates
How-To upgrade software on your server such as PHP, MySQL & Perl

-> Upgrading OpenSSH
-> Upgrading OpenSSL
-> Custom Apache build system



General Server Setup
The simple things that you need to do with your server

-> Control panel login under https (secure space)
-> Change Host Name (change "server name" under admin settings - admin control panel)
-> Setup Default Nameservers
-> Provide personal nameservers without using additional IP addresses
-> Set Date & Time
-> Remove logging of Lame-Server



Server Monitoring
The software applications and script listed below will help you view your servers status

-> SIM - System intergrity monitor
-> RPM based MRTG installation Only install 1 MRTG, do not follow both guides
-> MRTG manually compile, configure and run
-> Domain Monitoring Tool - (CPU usage monitor for individual domains)



Optimization
Install either Zend Optimzer OR PHPAccelerator, the 2 will not work together

-> Zend Optimizer
-> PHPAccelerator
-> Install Mod_GZIP
-> Optimize MySQL 4



Statistics
Find out how many visitors your website is going and much more information with the following

-> Fresh install of Urchin 5
-> Urchin V4 > Urchin V5 Upgrade
-> Automate Urchin V5
-> AWStats For all Domains
-> MailScanner MRTG guide



Add-ons & advice
Hidden secrets in DirectAdmin along with some useful advice and other extras

-> Adding a login form from your website
-> SubDomain Secret >> (make sub.sub.sub.domain.com)
-> Setting up an SSL certificate for the server
-> Generating a self signed SSL certificate
-> Requirements to install an SSL certificate
-> Ensim -> DirectAdmin conversion script
-> Read mail sent to root@localhost
-> Site-Helper (DirectAdmin Information website)
-> Reset MySQL Password
-> Install PRM (process resource monitor)
-> Install Bandwidth Bar
-> Mask apache server & services version numbers
-> Install Darwin streaming server
-> Provide a MySQL user with an additional database
-> Backup or Transfer MySQL Databases without shell or phpMyAdmin access
-> Script to convert users to resellers & vice versa
-> MailScanner 4.24 for Exim 4.24
-> Full (unofficial) DirectAdmin backup guide / software


To reset the MySQL password with DA, you have to additionally edit: /usr/local/directadmin/conf/mysql.conf to reflect your new da_admin password. also replace "root" with "da_admin"



Known problems / bugs & fixes [NEW]
Found a bug or problem? see if there is already a fix!

-> TroubleShooting Section
-> Webmail gives errors on a fresh install
-> Fatal error: Call to undefined function: mail()
-> Mail & POP3 errors on a fresh installation
-> Exim fails to start - Exim configuration error
-> Webalizer binary not found
-> Apache fails to start



Skins
you have DirectAdmin, now time to get that new look!

-> DirectAdmin skinning guide



Skins coming soon:
-> DirectSkin (default skin) - [Developer: DirectSkins]
-> DA-3D - [Developer: DirectSkins]
-> Florida Sun - [Developer: MindLash]



Skins currently available:
-> LoopX - [Developer: LoopForever] [Status: Unsupported]
-> Hermes - [Developer: CyberAlien] [Status: Active]


Skinning Extras
Get some extra features in your skins

-> Bandwidth graphs (percentage used) - can be easily modified for disk space also



Have a how-to you want listed here
To get your DirectAdmin How-to guides listed here, contact me using the link below

-> E-Mail me :)

Regards
Chris
 
Last edited:
At the moment i do not have a server running DirectAdmin to test these, although as soon as we have the servers i will get all of them tried and tested.

If you have followed any of the guides please leave a message here with the status, if it worked or if it failed.

Also feel free to contact me to have how-to guides added to the list. You can post a reply here or email me using the link in the above message

Regards
Chris
 
MRTG removed, RPM will be made by me soon.

Also, John / Mark, if you read this can you please contact me with the details i asked for in the main post if possible, thanks :).

Chris
 
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Last edited:
The following HOWTO, tried and tested:

-> Provide personal nameservers without using additional IP addresses

Enjoy ;)

Chris
 
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Didnt realise you were MattDH, well count yourself lucky, being in the DA server checklist before you were even known as MattDH here :D

Good to see you here as another of DA Groupies :)

Chris
 
Last edited:
Remote login forms updated to a new page with some different styles :cool:

Chris
 
Upgrading openSSH and openSSL added to the Software & Service Updates section
 
added an instal guide, updated APF link due to old one being deleted or moved, added custom apache build system also, added how to do bandwidth graphs under a new skiining how-to section ;)

Chris
 
Now added a list of skins and will have any skinning sites for DA listed there ;)

Chris
 
How comes your weedling lil checklist that ain't even been checked to see if it works yet got made sticky and my big one with lots of how-tos and stuff all tested on my DA server didn't :(
 
lots of this how-to is tested on a few red hat servers of ours, plesk and ensim are the main ones, there are hundreds i could of got from rackshack for servers although im not *sure* if they would work so i have left them out, if any one comes across a problem with these, most have uninstall and remove procedures available if needed. Basically everything *should* work on that list. There is a section of this checlist that allows you to add new howto guides if you want them added which you could have done :)

Chris
 
Changing the hostname wouldn't be complete without updating 'Server Name' under Administrator Settings in the Admin Panel :)
 
Thanks for notifiying me of that, "Change Host Name" has now been updated on the listing :)

Chris
 
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